Along an assembly line, various types of articles, such as for example, diapers and other absorbent articles, may be assembled by adding components to and/or otherwise modifying an advancing, continuous web of material. For example, in some processes, advancing webs of material are combined with other advancing webs of material. In other examples, individual components created from advancing webs of material are combined with advancing webs of material, which in turn, are then combined with other advancing webs of material. In some cases, individual components created from advancing web or webs are combined with other individual components created from other advancing web or webs. Webs of material and component parts used to manufacture diapers may include: backsheets, topsheets, leg cuffs, waist bands, acquisition layers, absorbent core components, front and/or back ears, fastening components, and various types of elastic webs and components such as leg elastics, barrier leg cuff elastics, stretch side panels, and waist elastics. Once the desired component parts are assembled, the advancing web(s) and component parts are subjected to a final knife cut to separate the web(s) into discrete diapers or other absorbent articles.
In some configurations, absorbent articles may include absorbent structures positioned between the topsheets and backsheets. In addition, absorbent structures may include acquisition layers and absorbent cores, wherein the acquisition layers may be positioned between the absorbent cores and topsheets. As such, the topsheets, backsheets, and absorbent structures of such absorbent articles may function to absorb and/or contain the discharged materials and also to isolate bodily exudates from the wearer's skin and from the wearer's garments and bed clothing. For quality control purposes, absorbent article manufacturing lines may utilize various types of sensor technology to detect various types of characteristics of webs and discrete components added to the webs along the converting line as absorbent articles are constructed. Example sensor technology may include vision systems, photoelectric sensors, proximity sensors, laser or sonic distance detectors, and the like. In turn, sensor data may be communicated to a controller in various ways. In some configurations, the controller may be programmed to utilize sensor data to make operational adjustments; communicate converting line operating information; and/or reject defective diapers.
Although the previously mentioned sensor technology may be configured to provide information about the presence or absence of various components as well as relative positions and/or perimeter shapes of such components, such sensor technology may not be configured to provide desired information about absorbent structures. Absorbent structures may be constructed in various ways in an attempt to improve wearer fit and comfort and/or the manner in which absorbent structures absorb and/or transport liquid discharged onto and through a topsheet. For example, the absorbent structures may be constructed in various shapes and/or with varying amounts of absorbent material arranged along a width and/or length. In some instances, absorbent cores may be constructed with regions having no absorbent material or relatively small amounts of absorbent material. Such regions may provide improved core bending flexibility in use. In addition, some acquisition layers may be constructed with varying thicknesses along the length and/or width. For example, some absorbent structures may be configured with acquisition layers having relatively thicker regions located within absorbent articles in positions relatively near where discharges of liquid from a wearer is relatively more likely to occur. In efforts to improve and control quality of manufactured absorbent articles, it may be desirable to obtain additional detailed information about the construction of such absorbent cores and/or acquisition layers during the assembly process. Consequently, it would be beneficial to obtain information about the surface topography and/or thicknesses of absorbent cores and/or acquisition layers during the assembly process.